San Miguel Jack: Insiders' Social Scene

Giovanni and Marina, San Miguel Jack with Tim Tyler, Christina Ruckel, and Lauren C. Mitchell and Jack Joshua

Around Town: Ristorante Casa Giovanni Marina was presented with the highly prestigious Grand Prize “Italian Hospitality of the World” Award. Giovanni & Marina where thrilled to accept the plaque at the ceremony on April 8th at the Italian Institute of Culture in Mexico City. What an Honor! Featured on the April cover of Local SMA Guide, a hearty congratulations to Susan Knight York. Writer-Foodie-Photographer for her tireless work over the past thirteen years documenting the gastronomy of San Miguel de Allende. Well deserved! “Retirement is tricky, right? Let’s create a place for the good old girls and boys who still have fire in their hearts.” Check out Barbara Cooney's monthly newsletter and blog nursezeldaretires.com. Local Artists Tim Tyler at Calderoni Gallery and Judith Jenya at Edina Saget Gallery both participated in the first Saturday ‘Art Walk’ last month at Fábrica La Aurora, much to the delight of art lovers in town. Tim is set to have a permanent exhibition soon, as in his other exhibitions at ‘Crystal Bridges’ in Bentonville, AR, and the 'MEAN' in Barcelona, Spain: www.tctyler.com

Christina Ruckel is in Asia for nearly three months with just one suitcase, one backpack, and her usual travel uniform: jeans, a black tee, and a Hermes scarf. Thankfully, she was safe when that devastating earthquake hit in Myanmar. She was in northern Thailand at the Elephant EcoValley. Quite the plucky, lucky gal!. More SMA travelers, Joseph Bennett and Eli Hans are off on their 25th Anniversary, galavanting around London, Paris, Prague, Seville and Granada during May. And don't forget a visit out to San Miguel's one and only Olive Orchard Farm, Finca Luna Serena run by Susan & Victor - ask about ‘free pick up and delivery’ from Liverpool shopping Center.

Charities are always hard at work: Heart to Heart is beating strong with their Saturday Sale Bizarres raising money for Patronato Pro Niños. Since 1970 providing, medical, dental and psychological care for thousands of San Miguel de Allende children. Please save the date(s) for two upcoming Patronato Pro Niños fund raising events; July 12th and November 6th. Kudos to Amy Gigi Alexander of Angelitos Sanctuario Support Group for all she and her band of volunteers do to help our little four-legged creatures. And her selfless help to Sandra Echeverria who’s’ own animal shelter burned last month. Please give what you can to these tireless volunteers who devote time and money to help our animals. It’s a historic time in San Miguel de Allende with the inauguration of México’s first Hospice Center, the Lee Carter Center. A beautiful state-of-the-art facility. Thank you, Lee Carter, for championing this very important space for our community. Muchas felicidades!

Music & Medical: As the Hospital beds turn, lovable musician and realtor Doug Robinson is now out, less a pesky appendix. Virginia Sloan is back home too, much to the relief of her two labs, Margot and Moka. Even San Miguel Jack had surgery and a dance with the Doctors, Urologist Dr. David Osorio & Dr.'s Ricardo Gordillo, Oscar López & Andrea Hernández. Muchas gracias to all La Clinica team - Excelente! Bandleader and guest vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra on the Grammy Award Winning Album “Basie Swings the Blues”, Lauren C. Mitchell and hubby, Jack Joshua along with band members, Michael Hensley, Vincent Sims, and Eleazar Davenport, have been touring all over Florida laying down some swinging concerts and as she would say, “doing my part to make this world a better place”. Now back in San Miguel de Allende, she is in pre-production for her next album with San Miguel's very own producer, Myles Wakeman. Might the album be recorded at his Trouble Clef Studios... stay tuned. And the little dynamo that could, Frad Mulier is doing her musical thing around local restaurants and clubs, fitting in a mini-vaca in San Blas between gigs.

Last Word: If you are reading my diatribe, chances are you are reading quite a few other articles, and do I dare say, much more substantive than my social scene. I speak of this newspaper’s senior journalist, Editor-at-Large, weather geek, and one of the last true newspaper guys around, Bill ‘Memo’ Wilson. Thanks to him and our Publisher, Madame Camie Fenton, you have a monthly print newspaper to set your eyes upon. Muchísimas gracias Bill, Camie, and all the other hard working, dedicated (purely volunteer), writers and our loving paying advertisers that make it all possible.